As information output apparatuses for image processing apparatuses such as a wordprocessor, personal computer, facsimile apparatus, and the like, image forming apparatuses that record information such as desired characters, images, and the like on sheet-like recording media such as paper sheets, films, and the like in accordance with electrophotography are prevalently used.
Such image forming apparatuses use developing agents such as toners, inks, and the like to form images on recording media. For this reason, the user must purchase and replace cartridges that store developing agents, and developing devices, or process cartridges that integrate charging devices, photosensitive drums, and developing devices as expendables.
In order to reduce the load on the user upon purchasing expendables, for example, order placement systems have been proposed, as described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open Nos. 7-239825, 8-315052, and the like.
In such system, when an image forming apparatus main body recognizes that the remaining amount of toner or ink as an expendable runs short, it automatically places an order to the order-receiving side via a facsimile apparatus connected to a network. In recent years, since the Internet has prevailed, a method of accessing a home page on the order-receiving side on the Internet via a line, and placing an order for expendables has been proposed.
In this manner, since the user can place an order for expendables on a computer that he or she uses, he or she need not go to a nearby expendable retailer or can be prevented from forgetting to purchase. Hence, such system is very effective in terms of usability.
The aforementioned order placement system is launched upon detecting that the remaining amount of toner or ink runs short (to be also referred to remaining amount detection hereinafter). As detection methods, a detection method based on a change in capacitance of toner, a method of detecting the level of toner in a toner container by receiving light emitted by an LED or the like by a light-receiving sensor via the toner, a detection method based on a change in torque of a toner stirring means, and the like are known.
When the remaining amount detection has been made by such method, an alarm “toner Low” or the like is displayed on the image forming apparatus main body or the screen of a host such as a personal computer or the like, which is connected to the image forming apparatus main body, so as to inform the user of it.
When the expendable is toner, the aforementioned remaining amount detection method detects if the toner remaining at a predetermined position becomes equal to or smaller than a predetermined amount, and toner often locally remains at another location in a cartridge or toner container in practice. When the alarm “toner Low” is displayed for the first time, the toner remaining amount of the entire cartridge is still large enough to print.
Hence, the user does not normally replace a cartridge or the like by another at that time. In such case, the user temporarily detaches the cartridge from the image forming apparatus main body, shakes it to the right and left, and attaches the cartridge in the image forming apparatus main body again, so as to effectively use toner that remains in the cartridge.
As a result, the toner that remains at another location temporarily cancels the alarm “toner Low” or the like, and the apparatus is ready to print again. After some print processes, the alarm “toner Low” or the like is displayed again by the remaining amount detection.
In this manner, since the aforementioned operation is repeated until toner in one cartridge is used up, the remaining amount detection is repeated several times, and the alarm “toner Low” or the like is displayed several times.
For this reason, if the number of times of remaining amount detection is not recognized, the order placement system may be repetitively launched to place an order every detection.
Hence, in order to prevent expendables from being ordered repetitively, once an order for an expendable is placed, a history is stored or a flag is set in a storage means provided to a process cartridge, and the order placement system is not launched repetitively or does not place a redundant order by referring to the history or flag in the storage means, as has been proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,409, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-338323.
However, according to the description of the specification of U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,409, the process cartridge as an expendable must have the storage means. Hence, if a process cartridge does not have any storage means, history information indicating whether or not an order has already been placed, a process cartridge for which an order has already been placed, and the like cannot be stored since the process cartridge has no ID or the like, and redundant orders cannot be prevented.
On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-338323, an image forming apparatus has a history means, which is reset when a new developer unit is attached. In this case, a means for determining if the attached unit is a new one is required, and if such means is not available, redundant orders cannot be prevented.
Also, U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,409, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 11-338323 do not assume any detailed processes on an order placement window in association with order placement, and there is room for improvement in user's usability.